it is my only ten pounds i decided that dropping ten pounds would be good for climbing, i am not short on time and can run but just get really bored, so i looking for a good and fun way to get rid of that ten Lbs...

Mountain biking and a leisurely pace of road biking burn about the same number of calories. A faster road bike pace (15 mph or so) burns more. At least according to this Web site: primusweb.com/fitnesspartner/j...

As for weight loss, it's all about calorie defecit. Use/burn more than you consume each day and you'll lose weight. The aerobic/anerobic stuff really doesn't have much science behind it.

To determine an estimate of your basic daily calorie needs, you need to calculate your BMR: bmi-calculator.net/bmr-calcula.... Keep your daily calorie balance (based on how much you consume and/or burn through exercise) below that and you'll burn fat. There are 3500 calories in 1 pound of fat. With a defecit of 500 calories a day, you'll lose a pound a week, which is about what's maintainable. More than 1-2 lbs a week and you're more likely to put it back on.

Also, to get the most from your weigh loss riding sessions, keep your heart rate in the aerobic zone

By aerobic zone i'm assuming you mean HR below anerobic threshhold? This is kinda a broad range. I've found that I get the most effective workouts riding as close to the anerobic threshold as you can...

You can use a HRM to find out your max HR then try to keep your riding between zones 3 and 4. Shorter rides push into zone 4 (1-1.5 hr) and longer than that I like to stick to alternating back and forth.

Its pretty easy to burn 2000 calories (I'm 165 and 5'10") in just over 2 hrs. The HRM helps you keep operating at your max ability even when you feel tired. It basically tells you how much time you have left at your current level of exertion before you go anerobic (lactic acid buildup). It's really a great tool.

By aerobic zone i'm assuming you mean HR below anerobic threshhold? This is kinda a broad range. I've found that I get the most effective workouts riding as close to the anerobic threshold as you can...

Yes. Without getting overly technical, for fat/weight loss it's best to stay about 5-10 beats under your anaerobic threshold. Maintain this zone for your long aerobic rides of atleast 60 minutues. For instance, with my aerobic zone being 135-148 bpm, I try to stay near 148bpm. (Sometimes its creeps up to 152bpm and I have to back-off accordingly.)

With a little self-analysis the various HR zones are easily determined. Lots of analytic info available online, etc.

Riding close to your anaerobic or lactate threshold isn't the best way to lose weight, you're burning more carbs than fat plus going that hard all the time will wear your down which requires more rest. Going slower over longer distances is the best way to lose weight. Actually there is a lot of science behind aerobic/anaerobic science, you just have to know where to look and how scientific/technical/geeky you want to get with it.

If you don't have a HR monitor or don't want one, the best guideline to follow for fat/weight loss is if you cannot maintain a conversation with your riding partner or your inner dialogue is questioning why you are going so damn slow, you're going too fast or too hard. For those who go by zones, that is zone 2. Upping your pace is good if you have a short amount of time(~1hr or less) but not too much. If you have more time, say 1.5-2hrs or more, maintain a slower pace.

If you want the anaerobic, definitely go with mtn biking. It's more fun to it on the trails than on the road bike, it's a great change of pace/scenery and it keeps you from burning out from road riding.

Riding close to your anaerobic or lactate threshold isn't the best way to lose weight, you're burning more carbs than fat plus going that hard all the time will wear your down which requires more rest. Going slower over longer distances is the best way to lose weight....

Riding close to your anaerobic or lactate threshold isn't the best way to lose weight, you're burning more carbs than fat plus going that hard all the time will wear your down which requires more rest. Going slower over longer distances is the best way to lose weight. Actually there is a lot of science behind aerobic/anaerobic science, you just have to know where to look and how scientific/technical/geeky you want to get with it. If you don't have a HR monitor or don't want one, the best guideline to follow for fat/weight loss is if you cannot maintain a conversation with your riding partner or your inner dialogue is questioning why you are going so damn slow, you're going too fast or too hard. For those who go by zones, that is zone 2. Upping your pace is good if you have a short amount of time(~1hr or less) but not too much. If you have more time, say 1.5-2hrs or more, maintain a slower pace. If you want the anaerobic, definitely go with mtn biking. It's more fun to it on the trails than on the road bike, it's a great change of pace/scenery and it keeps you from burning out from road riding.

thanks for the advice, this is the only post that really made sense to me, cause i dont know crap about different heart rates, but putting it in normal terms helped thank you

Weight loss = burning more calories in a day than you consume. That's it.

For the average person, the whole concept of burning more fat when you're exercising at a lower intensity doesn't hold water. For a simple (and very recent) explanation of why, see this blog/article by Cedric Bryant, chief science officer of the American Council on Exercise: health.usnews.com/blogs/on-fit...

I'll chime in with my two cent on cross training mountain biking for rock climbing. Once you start doing longer XC rides (i.e., 12 miles or more for me) that have long downhill sections I find it really works my hands pretty hard due to all the braking and front tire maneuvering. Try to arrange things so you never climb the same day you ride and if you have to then climb first and then ride if possible. Otherwise, I have ended up over training my hands and my climbing suffers.